Historic Milestone: Indian Astronaut Takes First Steps Towards Space Exploration

Shubhanshu Shukla launches aboard Axiom-4, leading a diverse crew for groundbreaking research in space, paving the way for India's future in space exploration.

Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla is poised to make history as he becomes the first Indian to set foot on the International Space Station (ISS). On Wednesday, Group Captain Shukla launched on the Axiom-4 (Ax-4) mission, a space endeavor piloted by the esteemed former NASA veteran Peggy Whitson. The multinational team also includes astronauts Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski from Poland and Tibor Kapu from Hungary. Axiom Space shared footage on Thursday showing the crew experiencing weightlessness in the spacecraft. Their mission will unfold over the next two weeks aboard the ISS.

Shubhanshu Shukla becomes the second Indian in space, following Rakesh Sharma's historic 1984 flight aboard a Russian Soyuz. The Ax-4 mission, a commercial flight by Axiom Space, launched from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 02:31 EDT (06:31 GMT; 12:01 IST) on Wednesday, with the docking scheduled for 07:00 EDT (11:00 GMT; 16:30 IST) on Thursday. This mission is a collaborative effort between NASA, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), the European Space Agency (ESA), and SpaceX, marking a return to space for both European astronauts after a significant 40-year hiatus.

Over their two-week stay, the crew will conduct approximately 60 scientific experiments, including seven specifically developed by ISRO. The Indian space agency invested ₹5 billion (around $59 million) for Shukla's seat and training, emphasizing that this experience is vital for India's aspirations of human spaceflight. ISRO plans to undertake its inaugural human space mission in 2027, alongside ambitious future goals like establishing a space station by 2035 and sending astronauts to the Moon by 2040.

In a live uplink from space on Thursday, a buoyant Group Captain Shukla shared, "What a ride!" expressing amazement at the novelty of zero-gravity. He humorously noted his initial discomfort during launch and the substantial amount of sleep he's been able to catch during this extraordinary journey. Joining him onboard is Joy, a small white toy swan acting as Ax-4's “zero-G indicator.” Shukla affectionately termed Joy a symbol of wisdom amidst distractions.

The Ax-4 crew officially named their spacecraft "Grace," with Commander Whitson articulating that the name holds deeper meaning, representing elegance, harmony in space, and the goodwill integrated into their mission for all humanity.